News and Updates
The Bledington Music Festival
The Bledington Music Festival is an annual music event which takes place over three summer evenings in the beautiful Cotswolds. We play host to top class performers from all over the world.
In 2020 Bledington Music Festival was to be a celebration of 20 years of magical concerts in St Leonard’s Church, but due to the recent guidelines related to reducing the spread of COVID-19, we have taken the sad, but we feel responsible, decision to cancel this year’s event.
Each summer, an increasing number of music lovers make their way to St Leonard’s Church, Bledington, a little village in the heart of the Cotswolds just 10 minutes from Stow-On-the-Wold and 40 minutes from Oxford. There are so many lovely places nearby, it’s worth staying a few days for a relaxing mini break.
We are also big supporters of Music in Education, you can find out more about how the musicians take the time to interact and introduce and enrich the musicality in students of Bledington School.
We are very sorry to announce that Festival 2020 has been cancelled.
In light of the latest advice from the Government, the Trustees of Bledington Music Festival have decided that sadly Music Festival 2020 must be cancelled.
It is hoped that the 2021 Festival will go ahead with a similar set of concerts. It will still be the 20th Music Festival! Watch this space for further updates in the coming months. If tickets have been purchased via Paypal refunds are available. Thank you to all our supporters new and old.
Festival tickets make wonderful gifts for music lovers.
Music in Education
Each year we endeavour to get the local children enthusiastic about the music and the performers through our growing educational programme and we are very fortunate to have artists willing to get involved and perform special ‘mini’ concerts for pupils of local Primary Schools.
The involvement with the local school began in June 2005 when Catrin Finch visited with her harp. The next year Chloe Hanslip visited as did the Firsova Piano Trio.
We are extremely grateful that many of the musicians also give of their time to perform a concert especially for the local school children; this is always a much anticipated event and is part of our ongoing educational programme to expose children to various instruments and music. More info…
Festival Personnel
Rodney Beacham
FESTIVAL ORGANISER
The festival organiser has a wide range of duties including liaison with and booking of a variety of performers for each year’s Festival.
Catrin Finch
VICE PRESIDENT
Catrin began learning the harp at the age of five she has been delighting audiences worldwide since graduating from the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in 2002 during this time, Catrin was appointed Royal Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales.
Thomas Trotter
PRESIDENT OF BMF
Appointed Birmingham City organist in 1983 in succession to Sir George Thalben-Ball. He is also Organist at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, and Visiting Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music, London.
A Brief History
The Festival has grown since it was established in 2000 when Thomas Trotter, the current President, gave a recital at Bledington; the popularity of that occasion gave rise to this successful three day Music Festival.
Over the years the festival has welcomed many performers. Each concert is unique and outstanding, with world class artists – we are very grateful to have their support for our festival!
We have compiled a list of performers and musicians who have featured at previous festivals please click here to view the list …
The Concerts take place at:
St Leonard's Church
Church Street
Bledington
Gloucestershire
OX7 6XD
Tel 01608 658669
Email Us
Our Sincere Thanks To All Of Our Supporters this Year
